LAGCOE Invests in Oil and Gas Programs

Jun 20, 2016 / News

Two endowments by Louisiana Gulf Coast Oil Exposition (LAGCOE) in Oil and Gas programs at South Louisiana Community College received matching funds from the state Board of Regents recently.

LAGCOE contributed $60,000 towards a professorship to recruit and retrain exemplary SLCC instructors in programs that provide direct jobs to the Oil and Gas Industry. The college received a state match last month of $40,000 from the Board of Regents Endowed Professorship Program, bringing the endowment total to $100,000.

“We’re thankful for this endowment along with all of our donations,” said Lana Fontenot, SLCC Foundation executive director and Development director. “Professorships help the community college attract and retain top-notch faculty who are training Acadiana’s workforce. These endowments allow us to offer programs and training that directly impact the communities we serve.”

In addition to the professorship, LAGCOE also established an endowed scholarship. This $15,000 donation was matched by $10,000 from the Board of Regents and $5,000 from the SLCC Foundation.

The scholarship will be awarded to a student in an academic program, which provides direct jobs to the oil and gas industry.

“Because the oil and gas industry is cyclical it is even more important to maintain focused efforts on generating a workforce pipeline that will continue to feed technically skilled, innovative, qualified workers into the industry,” said Angela Cring, LAGCOE executive director.

The college currently offers seven programs that provide highly skilled graduates to the oil and gas industry, with more than 300 students enrolled in these programs each semester. The college also launched its new Oil and Gas Production Technology program recently and will begin enrolling students this Fall at its New Iberia Campus.

Students who complete this one-year program will earn three industry-based certifications along with a technical diploma. The program’s curriculum was designed by SLCC faculty in cooperation with the regional oil and gas industry with the goal of helping students enter the workforce quickly to meet the growing demand for more trained professionals in this field.

Graduates will be able to demonstrate an understanding of offshore safety and compliance standards and regulations as they apply to drilling and production. They will also be able to describe the components and processes involved in the drilling and production of oil and gas.

For more information about these endowments or scholarships at SLCC, contact the Development Office at 521-9026.